National Interagency Team Mobilizing To Tackle White-Nose Syndrome of Bats

Northern Research Station scientists are helping unravel the mysteries of white-nose syndrome, a fungal disease devastating bat populations in eastern North America. Bats are a vital component of many ecosystems, eating billions of insects, including mosquitos and crop pests. Many bat species could be facing extinction due to the rapid spread of this cold-loving fungus, Geomyces destructans, previously unknown to science. Several bat species at risk from WNS are federally designated endangered species, including the Indiana bat (Myotis sodalis), gray bat (Myotis grisescens), and Virginia big-eared bat (Corynorhinus townsendii virginianus).